ACT working to change name of 'sexual relationship with a child' crime

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said work was being done to change the name of the crime, which he said was a "high priority".

"A strong criminal justice response to sexual offending is important, not just for victims but also for the entire community," he said.

"The ACT government will conduct further conversations with the ACT's sexual assault reform program, in particular about amending the wording of 'sexual relationship with a child', to ensure we adequately capture the systematic abuse of a child while retaining the legal effectiveness of the provision."

There have been calls to change the wording of the crime, which advocates say minimises the seriousness of the crime.

Other jurisdictions have already reformed the law. In Tasmania, the wording was changed from "maintaining a sexual relationship with a person under the age of 17" is now named "the persistent sexual abuse of a child".

The Tasmanian move was in response to campaigning efforts inspired by Australian of the Year Grace Tame.

In Ms Tame's address at the National Press Club on Wednesday she spoke about the impact of the change in wording.

"Through #LetHerSpeak efforts, we saw the wording of my abuser's charge officially changed," she said.

"Think about the difference in the crime according to the language of both of these.

"Think about the message it sends to the community.

"Think about the message it sends survivors.

"Where empathy is placed, where blame is placed, and how punishment is then given.

"We need to protect our children not just from the physical, mental, and emotional pain of these hideous crimes, but from the long lasting sometimes lifelong trauma that accompanies it."

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Ms Tame's legal case sparked the creation of the #LetHerSpeak campaign, which fought to abolish sexual assault victim gag laws in Tasmania, then in the Northern Territory and Victoria.

The campaign was created by journalist and sexual assault survivor advocate Nina Funnell, in partnership with Marque Lawyers and End Rape on Campus Australia.

Mr Rattenbury said: "Grace Tame's powerful speech at the Press Club yesterday was a reminder that there is more work to be done to protect our community from perpetrators of sexual assault."

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